self-reliance

noun

self-re·​li·​ance ˌself-ri-ˈlī-ənts How to pronounce self-reliance (audio)
: reliance on one's own efforts and abilities

Examples of self-reliance in a Sentence

some people don't achieve self-reliance until they're over 30 years old
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Living in such isolation has taught Wendy about self-reliance, but also about the unique warmth of the rural Mexican community. Ashley Vega, People.com, 22 May 2025 Research reveals how traditional masculine norms—like emotional stoicism, self-reliance and achievement orientation—directly conflict with practices that enhance leadership effectiveness. Anna Barnhill, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025 The Context Cats are touted by some as excellent pets due to their self-reliance, able to eat, hunt and use the bathroom on their own. Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025 Putin has adopted autarkic self-reliance and other ideas that appear to draw on North Korea’s Juche ideology—the doctrine formulated by Kim Jong Il in 1982 that seeks to foreground national economic and military self-reliance. Andrei Yakovlev, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for self-reliance

Word History

First Known Use

1668, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-reliance was in 1668

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Cite this Entry

“Self-reliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-reliance. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

self-reliance

noun
self-re·​li·​ance
ˌsel-fri-ˈlī-ənts
: trust in one's own efforts and abilities
self-reliant
-ənt
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on self-reliance

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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